Scrooge Grinch
by Jemi Obsessed
Summary: Her name is Mitchie Torres Gray, and she is the woman who changed you in every way possible. Without her…there wouldn't be a Shane Gray…there would only be a Scrooge Grinch.


**a/n: My entry for the 2010 winter awards. Thanks for checking it out!**

SCROOGE GRINCH

You had never purchased a Christmas tree in your life. Honestly, you could never understand the use of a stupid, fowl smelling product of nature representing Christmas. Screw tannenbaum, you had said. Stupid trees…they seemed to follow you everywhere you went at Christmas time.

Some could say that you had been a Scrooge. Your parents hadn't ever really been interested in Christmas, so naturally, you thought it was lame. You knew Santa wasn't real. You knew that Rudolph really didn't have a shiny, red nose. And, no, Mommy was definitely not making all that noise with Santa Claus.

Your mind briefly flashes back to Susan, an ex girlfriend who "accidentally" called you the grinch. That relationship ended relatively quickly. She had been right, though. Just because you disliked Christmas didn't mean you had to be an idiot towards other people. Like, for example, yelling at the person ringing the bell outside of Wal-Mart. He was just trying to help others…it's not his fault that the foundation chose such an annoying instrument. But really, even if seeing that crushed bell on the ground satisfied you, there was no reason for such…violence.

You look at the smiling lead head next to you. She is laughing with pure joy, a joy that has spread to you. Six years…a smile graces your face as you realize that you've been together for six years. What a glorious time span it has been. She's given you two beautiful baby girls, who also are laughing with glee. Not only that…but she cracked your shell and pulled you out.

A few weeks after you had smashed that man's bell, you returned to Wally World, needing a pack of cola. Every buddy that got dumped had a bad habit of coming to your place and stealing your things, so you had run out of the coca cola goodness. Of course, to your dismay, on the way to the soda aisle, there was an employee decorating a large Christmas tree.

"Excuse me?"

To this day, you remember that way your heart made a small pitter patter upon hearing the voice. Not like it made your demeanor change much, though.

"What?"

She gestured towards the tree. "Does it look alright?"

You sighed and rolled your eyes. "Why are you asking me? Lady, it's a tree. No matter what you do to it, it will still look like a stinking tree."

Her eyebrow quirked up and she expertly balanced her weight on the ladder as she placed her hands on her hips. "Well, what's your problem? It isn't just a tree…it's a Christmas tree. It's a sign of happiness, joy, peace, and harmony."

"You're getting all of that from looking at a tree?"

"Why are you so against trees? You wipe yourself with them everyday." She smirked.

That had been the first step of the ladder that attracted you towards her. She wasn't, and still isn't, afraid to talk dirty.

"Ah…you seem to think you're smart. You must have forgotten that some toilet paper is organic."

"All toilet paper is made from trees…and trees are forever organic."

"Whatever."

You had begun to walk away…you were already on the third step of the five step ladder. You couldn't be attracted to this girl…you just…couldn't.

"Wait!" She jumped from the ladder with a strange gracefulness and ran to you, grabbing your arm. "Just tell me."

The way she had said that. Four steps…not good. "Tell you what?"

"How you think the tree looks."

You looked back at the tree for a mere second, ready to shout a sarcastic response, but then you took a good look at the woman in front of you. Five steps. "I think it looks…beautiful."

She smiled, but then opened her mouth in confusion when she noticed the way you were looking at her. "Really?"

"Really."

She blushed a light pink and cleared her throat, embarrassed. "Thank you…"

"Shane."

"Thank you very much, Shane. Your opinion means a lot to me."

"I'm glad."

You smile. It seems like that encounter only happened yesterday. She had forced you to climb her ladder, forced you to admit that the Christmas tree was indeed beautiful, and over time forced you to fall in love with not only her, but with Christmas as well.

"Shane?"

"Yes, Love?"

"Time to put the angel on top."

You stand up, still grinning, and walk over to your youngest child, gently taking the angel from her hands. "Time to put the angel on, baby doll. You want to do it?"

Of course, she enthusiastically nods, so you pick her up and let her plop the golden angel on top of the large tree.

"How does it look?"

You glance at your wife with a smirk. "Beautiful."

She laughs, blushing. Stroking your other daughter's hair, she quietly says, "We need another joke."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because it isn't a joke…it's the truth."

She smiles. "I love you, Shane."

"Love you too, Mitchie."

Her name is Mitchie Torres Gray, and she is the woman who changed you in every way possible. Without her…there wouldn't be a Shane Gray…there would only be a Scrooge Grinch.


End file.
